the.com/caramelization
sugar admits defeat under heat and becomes something better than sweet.
means the browning of sugar itself through heat, breaking it into hundreds of new flavor and aroma compounds.
from from french caramel, likely tracing to latin canna mellis, cane of honey, describing sugarcane syrup boiled down until it darkened and turned complex.
temperature thresholdstarts around 320°f, no protein required
not maillardmaillard needs protein, this is sugar alone
compound countproduces over a hundred distinct flavor molecules
color to flavordarker color trades sweetness for bitterness
for instance
caramelized onions — forty-five minutes turns raw sting into jammy sweetness
creme brulee top — torched sugar cracks into glass at 340°f
flan — latin american dessert built on a caramel sauce base
caramel candy — straight sugar cooked past 340°f into amber chew